Potato-bug destroyer.



No. 75,690. Patented Deo. 9; |902.

M. w. PoMRAmmJr.-v PorATo sus DESTROYER.

q ppnmion med Feb, 1s.`19o2.\

(Nn Modei.) 2 Sheen-Sheet l. Y

@XN Messes No. 7l5,690. Patented Dec. 9, |902.

M. w. PQMRANING. PTATO BUT:` DESTROYER.

(Application mea Feb. 1e. 19o2 (N0 Model.) 2Sheeis-Sheei 2.

NiTnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MAX W. POMRANING, 0F PARKE, PENNSYLVANIA.

POTATO-BUG DESTROYER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 715,690, dated December9, 1902- Application filed February 18, 1902. Serial No. 94,610. (Nomodel.)

To au whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, MAX W. POMRANING, a citizen of the United States,residing at Parke, in the county of York and State of Pennsylvania, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Potato-Bug Destroyers,of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a machine fordestroying potato-bugs, and inits operation is propelled between the rows of potato-plants and knocksthe bugs from the plants inwardly into the machine, where they aredestroyed.

The present machine is adapted for use with double orsingle rows ofpotato-plants, and can be made to practically operate with the rowswhich are irregularly planted or crooked, and embodies features ofadjustment whereby the variations in the height of the plants may beaccommodated and the bugs thrown into the machine during different stepsof growth.

A further object of the present construction is that the machine may beused either singly or doubly, and variations in the distance betweenrows may be accommodated easily.

The invention also contemplates the eml bodiment in the organization ofthe machine of means for reliably destroying the bugs and preferably inthe form of inwardly-rotating crushing or grinding rolls, between whichthe bugs are delivered from one or both sides of the machine, andthereby avoid the inconvenience arising from the use of tanks containingpoisonous materials and other imperfect methods heretofore commonlyemployed, though it will be understood that in some instances a tankcontaining a poisonous liquid may be substituted for the rolls.

The improved machine also em bodies means of support which may be throwninto use during adjustment,` all parts of the machine to balance thelatter, and also has cultivating or shovel attachments which will loosenup the ground in rear of the parts in contact with the ground-surface,so that the trenches between the rows will not become hardened or packeddown.

The improved machine also embodies positively-operating drivingmechanism having clutch devices, whereby a part or all of the sam-e maybe thrown out of operative relation to the main driving-wheel.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective l View of a machine embodyingthe`features of the invention. Fig. 2 is a top plan View of the same.Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section lthrough the forward part of themachine and illustrating the relative positions of the grinding orcrushing rolls, the adjustable chutes, and the beaters. Figs. 4 and 5are detail views, in sectional elevation, of portions of the chutes andthe adjusting-yokes. Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of the meansfor adj ustably supporting the beater-arms. Fig. 7 is a longitudinalvertical section of the device as shown by Fig. 6. y

Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate correspondingparts in the several views.

The machine will be constructed of such dimensiousasto permitittobereadilyand easily propelled between rows of potato-plants, and all theparts will be of a strong and durable nature and as light as the desiredwearing qualifications and necessary resistance to be set up willpermit. Such materials will be employed in the construction of theseveral parts as are best adapted for the purpose, and in some instanceswood and metal combined or either one of these materials alone will beused in the formation of the several members.

The numeral 1 designates a main frame consistingof front and rearcross-bars 2 and 3, forming a part of or secured to the outer side bars4, and ata suitable distance inwardly from said side bars arelongitudinal bars 5, having a space between them of a suitable width. Ashaft 6 is terminally mounted in suitable bearings carried by thelongitudinal bars 5, and thereon isa large ground-wheel 7 withtraction-ribs S. Secured to the groundwheel 7 are opposite bevel-gears9, with which bevel-pinions 10 are adapted to mesh, the said pinionsbeing loosely mounted on the rear ends of a pair oflongitudinally-disposed shafts 11, held in bracket-bearings 12, projected inwardly from the forward extremities of the longitudinal bars 5;The forward ends of the pinions 10 are providedwith clutch members13,and slidably mounted and splinedA to the shafts 11 in any suitablemanner are clutchsleeves 14. to coperate with the clutch members 13 andheld iny normal engagement with the latter by springs 15, surroundingthe IOO shafts 11 between the portions of the bearings 12 engaged bysaid shaft and front ends of the clutch-sleeves. The clutch-sleeves 14are engaged by the inner extremities of shifting-levers 16, extendingoutwardly in transverse directions and fulcrumed on the longitudinalbars 5. Secured to the outer ends of the shifting-lever 16 areconnecting-rods 17, which extend upwardly and rearwardly at an angle ofinclination to gripping-dogs 18, pivotally mounted adjacent to the gripsor handholds 19, formed at the upper extremities of handles 20,extending downwardly and secured to the side bars 4 and connected, asusual, by a rod 21, which may have t-he gripping-dogs pivotally securedon the opposite terminals thereof. It will be seen that theshifting-lever 16 may be operated to throw either one or both of theclutch-sleeves out of engagement with the clutch members 13 of thepinions l0, and thereby stop the rotation of either one or both of theshafts l1.

The side bars 4 are projected beyond the front cross-bar 3 and connectedto the rear cross-bar 22 of a front frame 23, embodying a frontcross-bar 24 and a central longitudinally-extending bar 25, which isprojected beyond the front cross-bar 24 a suitable distance andlongitudinally slotted, as at 26, to adjustably receive a clevis 27 andthe post 28 of a colter-wheel 29, the said forwardly-projected portionof the bar 25 being formed with a plurality of openings 30, and the post28 and rear extremity of the clevis 27 have corresponding openings tocoincide with the openings 30, the said parts being connected in theiradjusted positions by means of suitable bolts or pins passedtransversely th rough the front extremity of the bar 25 and the post 28and rear extremity of the clevis.

It will be understood that the adjustment of the clevis and the post 28will respectively regulate the draft and the elevation of the frontextremity of the machine relatively to the ground-surface over which itmoves.

The front and rear cross-bars 22 and 24 of the frame 23 are formed withlongitudinal slots 31, extending therethrough in horizontal planes, andare adjustably engaged by bolts 32, provided with clamping-nuts 33, thesaid bolts extending from the upright members 34 of yoke-brackets 35.The yoke-brackets 35 support adjustable or telescopic chutes 36,arranged on opposite sides of the longitudinal bar 25, each chutecomprising a pair of chute-sections 37 and 38, the section 37 having itsinner extremity movably fitted in the outer extremityof the section 38.The chutesections 37 and 38, forming the complete chute organization oneach side of the bar 25, are vertically adjustable simultaneouslythrough the medium of the upright members 34 of the yoke-brackets 35,this adjustment being obtained by loosening the nuts 33 and raising orlowering the pairs of chute-sections and afterward tightening the nutsto maintain the said sections at the elevation desired. As shown, theupright members 34 of the yoke-brackets 35 project upwardly overopposite sides of the chute-sections and permit a vertical adjustmentwhich for all ordinary purposes is sufficient; but when operating themachine in relation to very high growths of potato-plants it may befound necessary to increase this vertical adjustment or to permit thechute-sections to be lowered below the plane permitted by the slots inthe vertical or upright members 34 of the yokebrackets. By inverting theyoke-brackets so that the upright members will depend below the bottomsof the chutes the machine will be adapted to operate with plants of verysmall growth or having a height at a comparatively low elevation abovethe ground surface. The chutes comprising the sectipns on opposite sidesof the bar 25 are inclined inwardly and downwardly from their outerextremities, and the inner chute-sections 38 have the bottoms 39projected inwardly beyond the inner ends of the sides and curveddownwardly to form directing-lips 40, as clearly shown by Fig. 3. Thebottms 41 of the outer chutesections rest upon and overlap the bottoms39 of the inner chute-sections and prevent the bugs which are knocked orthrown into the chute-sections from crawling backwardly between thesections. The lips 40 of the bottoms 39 of the inner chute-sections aredirected toward the intermeshing portions of crushing or grinding rolls42, mounted on suitable shafts 43, having bearing at oppositeextremities in depending end plates 44, which also serve as guards toprevent the bugs from being thrown out endwise after their deposit uponthe rolls, and surrounding the plates 44 and the rolls 42 is a fender45, which extends longitudinally of and depends below the frame 23 asuitable distance, the said fender being closed at the front and rearand at the bottom and open at opposite ends, so that the bugs afterpassing through and becoming crushed by the rolls will be deposited onthe bottom of the fender and gradually pushed out sidewise onto theground-surface in view of the fact that the rolls rotate inwardly towardeach other and will operate to push outwardly any accumulations of thecrushed bugs thereunder. The rolls are effective in their operation inview of the fact that the corrugations thereof closely intermeslisimilar to the teeth of gears, and the bottom of the fender is farenough below the plane of the rolls to permit the crushed bugs to fallthereon and be pushed outwardly at opposite sides without interferingwith or in the least affecting the operation of the rolls. The chutesare separated by a slide-plate 46, vertically adjustable in a slot 47 inthe longitudinal bar 25, this slide-plate also preventing the bugsknocked or thrown into one chute from passing over into the oppositechute and causing the bugs which are thrown thereagainst to falldirectly between the rolls below. This slide-plate 46 will be adjustedproportionately IOO IIO

to the vertical adjustment of the chutes on opposite sides of thelongitudinalbar 25.

The front and rear bars 22 and 24 of the frame 23 also adjustablysupport outwardly- 4curved beater-supporting arms 47, having hearings 48at their upper ends, in which are journaled the opposite extremities ofbeatershafts 49, to which are secured a series of concave-convexbeater-blades 50 so disposed as to bring their convex faces in contactwith the potato-plants to avoid breaking or injuring the branches of thelatter. These beaters, comprising the shafts 49 and `beaterblades 50,are disposed at a suitable elevation above the outer extremities of theopposite chutes and are rapidly` rotated by means which will behereinafter explained. The lower ends of the arms 47 are formed withratchet-heads 51, which are centrally apertured and are adapted tointerlock with ratchet members 52, carried on bolts 53, which passthrough said heads and are through the slots 31 in the front and rearbars 24 and 22squared or angular in cross-section to prevent said boltsfrom turning in the slots,

- and in this'connection it will be also understood that the bolts 32,which engage the upright members 34 of the yoke-brackets 35, will alsobe similarly squared throughout that portion thereof which passesthrough the slots 31. The bolts 53, like the bolts 32, are adjustablelongitudinally of the front and rear bars 24 and`22 to dispose thebeaters in proper relation to the chutes when the latter are eX- tendedoutwardly from opposite sides of the machine, and, furthermore, the saidarms 47 may be raised or'lowered through the medium of the ratchet-heads5l and ratchet members 52 to accommodate the elevation and depression ofthe chutes when the machine is adjusted to accommodate potato-plants ofdifferent heights or growths.

The beaters and rolls 42 are operated through the medium of the shafts1l, the one shaft 11 havingasprocket-wheel 55 thereon close tothe frontedge of the front cross-,bar of the frame 1, which is engaged by a chainbelt 56, running down to and surrounding a sprocketwheel 57 on the oneshaft 43 of one of the rolls 42, as clearly shown by Fig. 3. The shaft1l, having a sprocket-wheel 55 thereon, also has a second sprocket-wheel58 thereon in advance of the sprocket-wheel 55, which is engaged by achain belt 59, extending outward and upward in a transverse directionand surrounds a sprocket-wheel 60 on the rear end of one of thebeater-shafts 49. The other shaft 11 is projected forwardly a greaterdistance than that which carries the sprocket-wheels 55 and 58 and hason its front end a sprocket-wheel 6l, surrounded by a chain belt 62,which also extends upwardly and outwardly and engages a sprocket-wheel63 on the rear'end of the beater-shaft 49 oppositethat carrying thesprocket-wheel 6C. Iniother words, the chain belts are so disposed andarranged as to cause the beaters to rotate inwardly, and therebyeffectively knock or throw the potato-bugs` into the chutes. To tightenthe belts 59 and 62, opposite uprights 64 are secured to the frontcross-bar 3 of the frame 1 and have belttightening rollers 65 adjustably mounted in the upper extremities thereof and which are held incontinual engagement with the upper portions of the said chain belts.The lower portions of the said chain belts are also engaged by combinedguide and belt-tightening rollers 66, adjustably carried in the upperextremities of shorter uprights 67, secured to the front cross-bar 3outside of the uprights 64, and through the medium of thesebelttightening and guide rollers lost motion in the chain belts isobviated. It will be seen that either one or both of the shafts may becaused to cease its operation by the operation of either one or bothofthe shifting-levers 16, and if it is desired to hold either one vof theshafts 1l in inoperative condition'the gripping-dog 18, controlling theclutch mechanism thereof, may be held up against the grip or handheld 19adjacent thereto by any suitable means.

The machine is adapted to be used in connection With adjacent rows ofpotato-plants and operate on both rows at the same time to knock thebugs therefrom into the chutes, or one row may be treated solely in asimilar manner. In other words, it is not necessary that both beaters beactuated when it is desiredthat only one is to operate, and thus adaptthe machine for effective work in connection with an outside single oddrow or withf an irregularly-planted or crooked middle row IOO that doesnot run parallel with an adjacent j on, or, as before explained, thebeaters and chutes may always remain intact with the machine and bethrown out of operation by the adjustment of the clutch mechanism inconnection with the shafts 11.

In changing the adjustment or otherwise manipulating the parts it isnecessary thata balancing means be provided or a support to hold themachine in stable position and prevent it from falling over,particularly when the mechanism is removed at one side and the machineis adapted for use with a si-ngle row only. For this purpose hingedlegs68 are pivotally attached to the opposite side bars 4 of the frame1, one leg on each bar, the said legs having sufficient resiliency tocause them to spring up close to the side bars when elevated, and tohold the legs properly'elevated on the side bars When not in use andresist the vibrations which would tend to cause them to fall, the rearterminal of each leg is4 formed with an angular extension 69 to bear onthe upper edge ofthe side rbar 4. When the legs are down, either one orboth,

IIO

the machine will be balanced and the several parts adjusted withoutliability of the entire machine falling over and injuring the adjacentplants.

Another important feature in connection with the present machine is theapplication thereto of a series of cultivators 70,which may be of anypreferred form and number. These cultivators are located in rear of theplane of the ground-wheel 7 and operate to loosen up the ground in thetrenches between the rows of plan ts and overcome any tendency topacking down said trenches by the movement of the machine therethrough.

In the operation of the machine it is propelled through or in thetrenches between the rows of potato-plants, and the beaters rotatinginwardly after a suitable adjustment has been made knock or throw thebugs into the chutes, and from the latter the said bugs fall in betweenthe rolls 42 and become crushed, the residuum falling from the rolls tothe bottom 45 of the fender and from the latter is pushed outwardly intothe trenches and a greater portion thereof covered by the rearcultivators. By this means potato-plants can be rapidly and reliablyfreed of potato-bugs and the latter immediately destroyed and withoutthe use of poisonous substances, which often has such a serious eiect onsmall stock. Furthermore, a large area can be covered by the use of themachine within a comparatively small time, and potato-plants can be morefrequently treated and freed of potato-bugs than by the old methods.

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new isl.In a machine of the class set forth, the combination withcrushing-rolls, ot` opposite chutes mounted in adjustable relation tosaid rolls and having upwardly-projecting side members which movablyoverlap, and beaters adjustable in relation to the chutes.

2. In a machine of the class set forth, the combination ofcrushing-rolls, a chute adjustable vertically and laterally in relationto the rolls, reversible yoke devices for holding the said chute, meansfor securing the yokes in adjustable position, and a beater adjustablevertically and laterally in relation to the chute.

3. In a machine of the class set forth, thel combination ofcrushing-rolls, chutes composed of telescopical sections havingupwardly-projecting side lianges and adjustable vertically andlaterally, reversible yokes for holding said chutes, means for securingthe yokes in adjustable position, a sliding plate vertically movablebetween the inner extremities of the chutes, and beaters coperating withthe said chutes.

4E. In a machine of the class set forth, the combination ofcrushing-rolls, opposite chutes having,r their inner extremitiesdisposed over the rolls and comprising chute-sections telescopicallyarranged in relation to each other and also vertically adjustable, andbeaters mounted over the outer extremities of the chutes and havingmeans for vertically and laterally adjusting the same.

5. In a machine of the class set forth, the combination ofcrushing-rolls, a fender below the rolls open at opposite sides,adjustable chutes above the rolls, and beaters adjustably mounted inrelation to the outer extremities of the chutes.

(5. In a machine of the class set forth, the combination ofcrushing-rolls, a fender below the rolls open at opposite sides,oppositelydisposed chutes having their inner extremities disposed overthe rows, a slide-plate vertically movable through the inner extremitiesof the chutes, beaters disposed over the outer extremities of the chutesand having concavo-convex blades, the said beaters having an inwardrotation, and means for operating the rolls and beaters.

7. ln a machine of the class set forth, the combination of means fordestroying potatobugs, oppositely-disposed chutes leading to said means,beaters arranged over the outer extremities of the chutes, both of thechutes or beaters being removable from the machine and also adjustable,and supporting-legs movably attached to the machine in rear of thechutes and beaters.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MAX W. POMRANING. lVitnesses:

JOHN FERTNER, GEORGEA M. BOND.

